Saturday, April 18, 2015

Just the Facts: Me And Dog by Gene Weingarten

MY NAME IS SID.
I'M JUST AN ORDINARY KID.

I MAKE MISTAKES.

MURPHY'S ORDINARY, TOO.

MURPHY'S PRETTY SMART, BUT HE THINKS A BIT TOO MUCH OF ME.

Sid is not ordinary in one way. He knows he's not as perfect and powerful as his little dachshund Murphy thinks he is. And instead if relishing the adoration, that bothers him. Murphy seems to think that Sid is the Ruler of the Universe. Sid knows he just a third grader who occasionally steps on his dog's tail, and when that happens, to Sid's dismay, Murphy seems to think that was because he had been bad. Sid worries about how he can make Murphy understand.

I WONDER IF HE MIGHT BE FEARFUL, OR LESS FRIENDLY, OR LESS CHEERFUL,

IF HE KNEW I'M NOT THE WIZ, OR MAYBE EVEN NO ONE IS!

The modern proverb making the rounds, "May I be as good as my dog thinks I am!" is the theme of Gene Weigarten's Me and Dog (Simon and Schuster, 2014), in which the introspective Sid worries about his appealing pooch's world view. Weingarten's illustrations of a winsome weiner dog are charming, and his humor shines in his clever rhymes. It's an uncommon concern of kids, but perhaps Sid's ruminations on canine cosmology will give some young pet owners something to think about. Says School Library Journal, "A winning example of fun and prose from an already established humor columnist, Me and Dog won't stay on the shelf for long."

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About Me

Retired after 32+ years as an elementary librarian, I really miss the joy of bringing together the right book with the right reader at the right time. Loving both kids and books equally as I do, perhaps helping children and the adults who care about them find good books through this blog is the next best thing to being there.
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